DDswife wrote:I used to think that MGRE, same than TOEFL and verbal GRE was a stupid test, but now I think that it has some good sides.

It forces you to “merge” all the knowledge since a problem might need tools from different subjects.

It’s not easy to solve a problem in the amount of time you have for it. So, you need to be able to design more efficient ways to solve it. It’s good practice to work different ways to do the same thing till you find the one that takes maybe seconds instead of 10 minutes, like the one you learn in Calculus 3.

Some of these questions force you to think out of the box rather than to use your automatic pilot. I have grown to respect them. This learning you do if you take your preparation seriously will help you be a better researcher. Some of these tests questions are very “slippery”. They trick you, and you get them wrong because you are going too fast. You have to... But this let’s you make mistakes you don’t even notice. This opens your mind, though, and help you disregard what seems obvious, and to see beyond it.

I remember a question which had almost the same thing, but one of the functions had + and the other one, a -. I discussed it with another tutor. He thought that both were “the same thing”, and I first agreed. But, after a while, I wondered: why asking the same thing twice? It didn’t make sense to me. So, I paid more attention to it. And I realised that this - changed completely the behavior of the function. They appeared to behave the same, but they were completely different.

What I dislike is that people can’t discuss openly problems. Why? Just so that ETS learns money? This discussion leads to more learning.

If you don't mind me asking, what is your background in mathematics? Have you done a PhD or graduate work?

Well, it’s a bit hard for me to answer this question because I studied abroad, and these things don’t translate well.

I first studeied Pharmaceutical Chemistry and I had a lot of Math. Much later I studied to become a Math teacher. In the foreign transcript evaluator they gave me BS in Math and Science education, BS in Pharmaceutical Chemistry, and graduate coursework.

Later I took several classes in the US at undergraduate level. I could have applied for a masters degree, but I preferred to take undergraduate courses first to review. Some of these classes were extremely easy to me, but I took them as if I was a student teacher, to get a better tutor.

Later I just quit the university because education here is too expensive.

I have been around this website for years and I have been working with GRE problems for the fun of it anytime I have been able to get one, and I just Math study on my own.

I was a teacher for more than 20 years in my country, and I have been a college tutor for more than 4 years in the US. Now I also work iat a university and at 2 tutoring websites.

nothing wrote:For the toefl scores, I think only the speaking portion matters to the graduate committee. You can try to apply for some master program with funding in US. Some of the good ones are Miami ( they even have a Field Medalist in geometry, Maxim Kontsevich), Utexas at san antonio have a very strong groups in Operator Algebras and PDEs ( the Professors in these groups are the same level at a top 30 schools, take a look at their publications), UCF ( central florida) has very good faculties in Functional Analysis and Operator Theory. The courses at these schools are probably much easier than PKU but you will have more time to do research and have some decent publications.

Hi,

Any idea whether funding is available for the master's programs at these universities? I haven't been able to find anything concrete on the universities' websites. For e.g, Miami's website mentions:

Teaching Assistantship

The Department of Mathematics provides a number of teaching assistantships, with a current (2009-2010) stipend of $22,000. In addition to the stipend, TA's receive an 18 credit tuition waiver. TA's normally work 12 hours per week assisting with calculus labs, the math tutoring lab, teaching, and/or grading.

It's not at clear whether MS students are considered for the same amount of funding as PhD students?

They do give full funding for master students but the number of spots are very limited ( like only 4-5 master student / year with full funding and some others get TAship without instate-tuition waiver). The instate tuition is around 8k-10k.

nothing wrote:For the toefl scores, I think only the speaking portion matters to the graduate committee. You can try to apply for some master program with funding in US. Some of the good ones are Miami ( they even have a Field Medalist in geometry, Maxim Kontsevich), Utexas at san antonio have a very strong groups in Operator Algebras and PDEs ( the Professors in these groups are the same level at a top 30 schools, take a look at their publications), UCF ( central florida) has very good faculties in Functional Analysis and Operator Theory. The courses at these schools are probably much easier than PKU but you will have more time to do research and have some decent publications.

Hi,

Any idea whether funding is available for the master's programs at these universities? I haven't been able to find anything concrete on the universities' websites. For e.g, Miami's website mentions:

Teaching Assistantship

The Department of Mathematics provides a number of teaching assistantships, with a current (2009-2010) stipend of $22,000. In addition to the stipend, TA's receive an 18 credit tuition waiver. TA's normally work 12 hours per week assisting with calculus labs, the math tutoring lab, teaching, and/or grading.

It's not at clear whether MS students are considered for the same amount of funding as PhD students?

They do give full funding for master students but the number of spots are very limited ( like only 4-5 master student / year with full funding and some others get TAship without instate-tuition waiver). The instate tuition is around 8k-10k.

Oh, all right. I am not sure if it's worth applying to Miami then. I think University of Florida has equal funding for MS and PhD students. They basically pick the top applicants, regardless of the choice of their degree, and offer them funding, as per the Director of Grad. Studies.

nothing wrote:I think it's worth applying. If Maxim konsevitch give you a LOR then it's not hard to get into top 10 schools lol.

That's one way to put it, lol. I have applied to UIC's MS program as well, which is a top 40 school.

Any idea about the funding status for MS students at the other 2 schools you mentioned: UCF and a school in San Antonio?

UCF has a phd program while Utexas antonio has only master program. The way it works is the same for both school. They take like 10 master students, 4-5 strongest one have full funding, the others have TAship and still have to pay instate tuition ( which is like 8-10k). It's totally live-able even if you have to pay the instate tuition, you just can not save as much money as someone who get full tuition waiver.

nothing wrote:I think it's worth applying. If Maxim konsevitch give you a LOR then it's not hard to get into top 10 schools lol.

That's one way to put it, lol. I have applied to UIC's MS program as well, which is a top 40 school.

Any idea about the funding status for MS students at the other 2 schools you mentioned: UCF and a school in San Antonio?

UCF has a phd program while Utexas antonio has only master program. The way it works is the same for both school. They take like 10 master students, 4-5 strongest one have full funding, the others have TAship and still have to pay instate tuition ( which is like 8-10k). It's totally live-able even if you have to pay the instate tuition, you just can not save as much money as someone who get full tuition waiver.

All right. Let me look at these 3 schools. I have still have finalze the last 2 schools in my list. I may drop an app. to one of these schools.

All right. Let me look at these 3 schools. I have still have finalze the last 2 schools in my list. I may drop an app. to one of these schools.

[/quote]

I just saw one of your thread about master schools, I would say that it's better to stay away from Boise State, the chance of getting into a good phd program after a MS at Boise is very low ! They are very bad at Analysis.

nothing wrote:For the toefl scores, I think only the speaking portion matters to the graduate committee. You can try to apply for some master program with funding in US. Some of the good ones are Miami ( they even have a Field Medalist in geometry, Maxim Kontsevich), Utexas at san antonio have a very strong groups in Operator Algebras and PDEs ( the Professors in these groups are the same level at a top 30 schools, take a look at their publications), UCF ( central florida) has very good faculties in Functional Analysis and Operator Theory. The courses at these schools are probably much easier than PKU but you will have more time to do research and have some decent publications.

Do you mean to say Miami U or Miami Ohio? They are different schools. Also I doubt if Max Kontsevich is actually at Miami since he is also affliated to IHES.

nothing wrote:For the toefl scores, I think only the speaking portion matters to the graduate committee. You can try to apply for some master program with funding in US. Some of the good ones are Miami ( they even have a Field Medalist in geometry, Maxim Kontsevich), Utexas at san antonio have a very strong groups in Operator Algebras and PDEs ( the Professors in these groups are the same level at a top 30 schools, take a look at their publications), UCF ( central florida) has very good faculties in Functional Analysis and Operator Theory. The courses at these schools are probably much easier than PKU but you will have more time to do research and have some decent publications.

Do you mean to say Miami U or Miami Ohio? They are different schools. Also I doubt if Max Kontsevich is actually at Miami since he is also affliated to IHES.

Maxim is at Miami U. Miami Ohio is also very good, they offer master with full funding. From what I knew, he does teach some graduate courses at Miami U. Even if you don't have the chance to take classes with him, there are some other decent Professors there. I have a friend who completed a MS at Miami Ohio a couple years ago and he got into some decent schools like Indiana, CMU, PSU and Ohio State.

All right. Let me look at these 3 schools. I have still have finalze the last 2 schools in my list. I may drop an app. to one of these schools.

I just saw one of your thread about master schools, I would say that it's better to stay away from Boise State, the chance of getting into a good phd program after a MS at Boise is very low ! They are very bad at Analysis.[/quote]

I have applied to Miami Ohio, and I'm hoping I'll get in there. My other top choice is UIC's MS program. From what I heard, they seem to find both MS and PhD students. I may also apply to the MS programs at Miami and Uni. Of Florida.

I only applied to Boise State, Wake Forest (and Ball State) because I couldn't feallly find other MS programs WITH funding. Also, I don't really have a killer profile, as you must have seen.

All right. Let me look at these 3 schools. I have still have finalze the last 2 schools in my list. I may drop an app. to one of these schools.

[/quote][/quote]

I just saw one of your thread about master schools, I would say that it's better to stay away from Boise State, the chance of getting into a good phd program after a MS at Boise is very low ! They are very bad at Analysis.[/quote]

I have applied to Miami Ohio, and I'm hoping I'll get in there. My other top choice is UIC's MS program. From what I heard, they seem to find both MS and PhD students. I may also apply to the MS programs at Miami and Uni. Of Florida.

I only applied to Boise State, Wake Forest (and Ball State) because I couldn't feallly find other MS programs WITH funding. Also, I don't really have a killer profile, as you must have seen.

Abu suggestions of other MS programs that I may not have looked at?[/quote]

Try Utexas at san antonio, their faculties are very very good, one of them even has a publication on Annals. Texas tech also offers funding for master students, their faculties are also good. You are interested in analysis and mathematical physics, right ? What kind of mathematical physics are you doing right now ? I sent you a private message.